The present invention is directed to a metallic wire strip brush assembly and a method and apparatus for making the strip brush, and particularly, to metallic wire brushes that are attached to a non-metallic base strip for use in sweeping machines using mandrels.
In the prior art, various types of brushes, brush assemblies, and brush-making apparatus and methods have been proposed. These brushes are used in a variety of applications, including street sweepers, sweeping machines for airport use, deburring machines, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,316 to Maltarp (herein incorporated in its entirety by reference) discloses one type of a brush that is formed into a ring for use on mandrels for sweeping, brushing, etc. Referring to FIG. 1, one brush product of Maltarp is designated by the reference numeral 10 and includes wires 1 formed into a brush assembly for use with a ring. A plastic annular hub 3 is formed on one end of the wires to hold the wires in place. A metallic ring 5 is then crimped around the plastic hub, the crimped portions designated by reference numeral 7. The Maltarp patent is an improvement over wire brushes that employed locking wires within the metallic ring.
Another brush construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,357 to Gould and shown in FIG. 2 as brush construction 20. This construction is an all-polymer construction wherein polymer bristles are used with a polymer strip. The strip is configured to slide into channels in a mandrel of a sweeping machine. The brush construction 20 comprises bristles 21 extending from a base strip 23. Molding the bristle ends into the base strip forms the construction 20, see column 5, lines 1-12.
Another all-polymer strip construction is found in strips made by Sweeper Brushes, Inc. of Barrie, Ontario, Canada. Referring to FIG. 3, these strip brushes 30 have polymeric bristles 31 inserted into a strip 33. The ends of the bristles are fusion bonded at 35 to the base of the channel formed in the strip.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,400,809 to Cave discloses a brush construction and method of making. In Cave, a groove is formed in a base strip. A thermo-plastic or thermo-setting powder material is fed into the groove. Bristles are folded and then the folded ends are inserted into the filled groove. Insertion of the bristle ends causes the material to fluff up and flow between the interstices of the bristles. Heat is then applied to secure the bristle ends to the material.
In the prior art, it is sometimes desirable to have a metallic wire brush rather than a polymer brush for sweeping or cleaning purposes, particularly for machines that employ mandrels or other strip brush holders. Metallic wire brushes provide a more aggressive brushing action than brushes employing polymer bristles. However, none of the above-mentioned prior art brushes employ a metallic wire brush in a polymer strip for use with mandrels of sweeping machines. As such, a need exists for such a product where more aggressive brushing or sweeping is desired.
The present invention solves this need by providing a metallic wire brush strip assembly, which employs a polymer strip for attachment to mandrels or other holders of sweeping machines, and a method and apparatus to make such a metallic wire brush product.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an improved metallic wire strip brush assembly.
Another object of the invention is an apparatus for continuously making a metallic wire strip brush assembly.
A further object of the invention is a method of continuously making a metallic wire strip brush assembly.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as a description thereof proceeds.